Last Modified: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.

Space shuttle Discovery awaits launch preparations at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral last week. Discovery is set for launch April 5 on a mission to the International Space Station.
From the Florida congressional delegation’s March 4, 2010, letter to the president:
“According to NASA’s own numbers from (fiscal year) 2008, the economic impact of NASA in Florida resulted in over 40,000 jobs, over $2 billion in household income, and hundreds of millions of dollars in federal, state and local taxes.”

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That share would likely drop if the election were held today, a month after Obama unveiled a vague, new space policy that could vaporize thousands of jobs, in Brevard and elsewhere.

As laid out last month, Obama's poorly explained space proposal has caused consternation in Florida and in Texas, Alabama and Ohio, all of which have extensive ties to the aerospace industry.

Obama's proposal stirred such concern in Florida that last week, the state's congressional delegation signed a letter to the president. It warned that his space plan, along with the long-expected retirement of the shuttle program, "leaves the future of U.S. human spaceflight in serious doubt, and the highly skilled workforce with the prospect of a major upheaval from which it and our space program will not have the hope of recovery for many years."

Even these strong, bipartisan words may not change Obama's mind. But he did seem to get the message, because this week, the White House announced that Obama will hold a space summit April 15 in Florida.

Further details have yet to be revealed, but the agenda will focus on Obama's "new vision for America's future in space," according to a press release.

"After years of underinvestment in new technology and unrealistic budgeting, the president's plan will unveil an ambitious plan for NASA that sets the agency on a reinvigorated path of space exploration," it continued.

"Specifically, the conference will focus on the goals and strategies in this new vision, the next steps, and the new technologies, new jobs, and new industries it will create. Conference topics will include the implications of the new strategy for Florida, the nation, and our ultimate activities in space."

Resistance in Florida

The summit is welcome, though what Obama really needs on this subject is a do-over. The February roll-out of his plan to redirect NASA was remarkably tone-deaf to political and economic realities.

Under Obama's initial proposal, NASA's overall budget would increase. But big employment and logistical disruptions would ensue because Obama would cancel the over-budget, behind-schedule Constellation project, which was supposed to provide a moon-and-beyond sequel to the retiring shuttle.

In another controversial step, Obama's plan would rely not on NASA but on the private sector to develop commercial rockets for manned missions at some undetermined point in the future.

Florida's delegation is skeptical, at best. "We are concerned that the plan NASA has laid out fails to provide a manageable transition of the workforce and is likely to repeat the mistakes that plagued Florida at the end of the Apollo program," their letter stated. "Those were not only the loss of thousands of jobs and serious adverse economic hardship, but also the disruption and loss of a well-trained and highly skilled aerospace workforce."

Still, the president's plan is not without supporters. For example, the influential Planetary Society -- "dedicated to exploring the solar system and seeking life beyond Earth" -- has mounted a letter-writing campaign in favor of Obama's strategy.

"The new plan is more realistic because it commits new money and new assets for rocket development, and it adds money for advanced technology," the group's Web site states. "It engages international partners to share the burden and the glory. If this proposed plan for NASA is endorsed by Congress, humans may well reach beyond the moon more quickly and more affordably than was possible with Constellation."

Beyond jobs

Though communities such as Brevard County are reliant on the space program, it is much more than a key employer. The nation's security, engineering excellence and technological leadership are tied in no small way to NASA.

If its goals are to change, they must be clearly articulated to the American people and to the work force that ultimately will carry out the mission.

That communication has been lacking, so far. Obama's summit offers a chance to provide it and, perhaps, build consensus for a better approach to space exploration.

<p>In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama narrowly won Florida. But in Brevard County -- i.e., the Space Coast -- he got only 44 percent of the vote.</p><p>That share would likely drop if the election were held today, a month after Obama unveiled a vague, new space policy that could vaporize thousands of jobs, in Brevard and elsewhere.</p><p>As laid out last month, Obama's poorly explained space proposal has caused consternation in Florida and in Texas, Alabama and Ohio, all of which have extensive ties to the aerospace industry.</p><p>Obama's proposal stirred such concern in Florida that last week, the state's congressional delegation signed a letter to the president. It warned that his space plan, along with the long-expected retirement of the shuttle program, "leaves the future of U.S. human spaceflight in serious doubt, and the highly skilled workforce with the prospect of a major upheaval from which it and our space program will not have the hope of recovery for many years."</p><p>Even these strong, bipartisan words may not change Obama's mind. But he did seem to get the message, because this week, the White House announced that Obama will hold a space summit April 15 in Florida.</p><p>Further details have yet to be revealed, but the agenda will focus on Obama's "new vision for America's future in space," according to a press release.</p><p>"After years of underinvestment in new technology and unrealistic budgeting, the president's plan will unveil an ambitious plan for NASA that sets the agency on a reinvigorated path of space exploration," it continued.</p><p>"Specifically, the conference will focus on the goals and strategies in this new vision, the next steps, and the new technologies, new jobs, and new industries it will create. Conference topics will include the implications of the new strategy for Florida, the nation, and our ultimate activities in space."</p><p>Resistance in Florida</p><p>The summit is welcome, though what Obama really needs on this subject is a do-over. The February roll-out of his plan to redirect NASA was remarkably tone-deaf to political and economic realities.</p><p>Under Obama's initial proposal, NASA's overall budget would increase. But big employment and logistical disruptions would ensue because Obama would cancel the over-budget, behind-schedule Constellation project, which was supposed to provide a moon-and-beyond sequel to the retiring shuttle.</p><p>In another controversial step, Obama's plan would rely not on NASA but on the private sector to develop commercial rockets for manned missions at some undetermined point in the future.</p><p>Florida's delegation is skeptical, at best. "We are concerned that the plan NASA has laid out fails to provide a manageable transition of the workforce and is likely to repeat the mistakes that plagued Florida at the end of the Apollo program," their letter stated. "Those were not only the loss of thousands of jobs and serious adverse economic hardship, but also the disruption and loss of a well-trained and highly skilled aerospace workforce."</p><p>Still, the president's plan is not without supporters. For example, the influential Planetary Society -- "dedicated to exploring the solar system and seeking life beyond Earth" -- has mounted a letter-writing campaign in favor of Obama's strategy.</p><p>"The new plan is more realistic because it commits new money and new assets for rocket development, and it adds money for advanced technology," the group's Web site states. "It engages international partners to share the burden and the glory. If this proposed plan for NASA is endorsed by Congress, humans may well reach beyond the moon more quickly and more affordably than was possible with Constellation."</p><p>Beyond jobs</p><p>Though communities such as Brevard County are reliant on the space program, it is much more than a key employer. The nation's security, engineering excellence and technological leadership are tied in no small way to NASA.</p><p>If its goals are to change, they must be clearly articulated to the American people and to the work force that ultimately will carry out the mission.</p><p>That communication has been lacking, so far. Obama's summit offers a chance to provide it and, perhaps, build consensus for a better approach to space exploration.</p>